Mechanical roll changer



Aug. 30, 1960 s. c. NELSON MECHANICAL ROLL CHANGER 2 Sheets- Sheet 1Filed Feb. 26, 1957' Aug. 30, 1960 s. c. NELSON MECHANICAL ROLL CHANGER2 Sheets-Sheec 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1957 I 4. l I I l /4 MECHANICAL ROLLCHANGER Seddon C. Nelson, Fredericksburg, Va., assignor to AmericanViscose Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Delaware FiledFeb. 26, 1957, Ser. No. 642,432

9 Claims. (Cl. 242-56) The invention relates to web winding, andparticularly to an apparatus for severing a continuous traveling webfrom a fully wound roll and transferring the leading end thereof to anempty roll core without interruption of the winding operation.

In the winding of web materials, continued eflorts have been made toobtain a product of uniform character with a minimum of waste.Heretofore, starting of a traveling web onto a cylindrical roll core hasbeen effected by bunching the Web itself onto and around the roll core.This procedure not only involves a considerable waste of web material,but the formation of an eccentric roll which, when rotated, induces avarying or pulsating tension on the web itself. In the manufacture ofregenerated cellulose, for example, the conventional web Windingpractices result in each wound roll having many feet of wrinkled anddistorted film which, because of its appearance, is unsalable. Whilemany proposals have been made to remedy the objections in the existingweb winding -methods, none have apparently proved satisfactory asevidenced by the continued and prevailing use of the time-honored manualprocedures. Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention toprovide a generally new or improved and more satisfactory mechanism forsevering and transferring a traveling web from a full roll to an emptyroll core.

Another object is the provision of improved means for severing acontinuous web from a fully wound roll and directing the leading endthereof about an empty roll core, without interrupting the web deliveryor substantially altering its speed or tension.

Still another object is to provide an improved device capable of urginga continuous traveling web about an empty roll core simultaneously asthe Web is wound onto a partially filled roll, sever the web rapidlywithout distorting the same, and direct its leading end into the correctposition for being gripped by the empty roll core as it is rotated.

A further object is the provision of a safe and more satisfactoryapparatus for effecting the start of a continuous traveling web materialonto a roll core with a minimum of web bunching at the roll core.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description and accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a sideview of a portion of a winding machine illustratingthe apparatus of the present invention at an intermediate stage of itsoperation;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side view of a portion of the structure shown inFigure 1, illustrating the device of the present invention at the end ofits web severing and transfer movement; and

Figure 3 is a front view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

The web severing and transfer mechanism of the present invention isdesigned for use with a conventional web winding apparatus having a pairof rotatable spiders Eteg g i between which a plurality of individualroll cores are adapted to be supported for independent rotation. Ingeneral, theapparatus of the present invention includes a web transfercarrier formed of a pair of laterally spaced spring arms pivotallymounted at one end for movement into embracing relationship about a rollcore. As the carrier is moved toward a web traveling continuously onto apartially wound roll, a guide roll carried thereby engages with the weband urges the same into partially embracing relationship about an emptyrotating web core, without interrupting the web delivery. Concomitantly,a series of cutting blades is moved into the web to sever the same, withthe leading end thereof being directed further about the roll core. Asthe carrier approaches the end of its movement, the guide roll leavesthe core surface while the leading end of the web itself is carriedaround the roll core'by the rotary movement of the core itself.

The device of the present invention is designed for use with anysuitable forming or treating apparatus from which a continuous web isdischarged for winding into roll form. Thus, as illustrated in Figure 1,the character 9 denotes generally the terminal portion of such webforming or treating apparatus, including a pair of horizontal beams 11cantilevered from the columns 13 and suitably braced as shown at 15. Aswith the conventional web winding machines, a roll support is providedhaving a pair of spaced spiders 17 fixed to a central shaft 19 carriedby the bearing plates 21 and selectively rotated by any convenientmeans, not shown. A roll core 23 is mounted between the free ends ofeach pair of aligned spider arms, with conventional means, not shown,

being utilized to independently rotate the cores at the speed of thetraveling web 25 as they are sequentially moved into the uppermostposition shown in Figure 1, and at a reduced speed as they approach afully wound condition and are rotated into the position shown at theleft of Figure 1. To maintain the web 25 within its desired path, theweb is passed between a pair of cooperating pinch or guide rolls 27 and29 intermediate its travel from the apparatus 9 to the roll core 23.

The web severing and transfer mechanism of the pres ent invention ispivoted at 31 to the apparatus 9 for movement as a unit between itsbroken and solid line positions shown in Figure 1, and includes a pivotframe 33 and a carrier 35. The pivot frame 33 is formed of a pair ofside bars 37 which are interconnected by a crossbar 39 and pivotallymounted to the beams 11. The side bars 37 are angled in a downwarddirection, as viewed in Figure 1, to correctly position the carrier 35-with respect to the uppermost core 23 as hereinafter described, androtatably support an elongated operating shaft 41 to which the carrieritself and an opearting handle 43 are rigidly fixed. In its inoperativeposition, the frame and carrier unit is maintained in an elevatedposition by the counterbalancing weights 45 fixed to the ends of thecables 47, which in turn are trained over the pulleys 49 and secured tothe ends of the pivot frame extensions 51. The pulleys 49 are carried atthe upper ends of the tubes 53 which are clamped to the support frame 55and serve as protective housings for the counterbalancing weights 45. Asseen in Figure 1, the side bars 37 are provided with adjusting screws 57which are adapted for engagement with the beam extensions 59 and limitthe downward movement of the frame 33'. V

The carrier 35, as best seen in Figures 1 and 2, in cludes a pair oflaterally spaced and aligned spring arms 61, each being fixed at 63 tothe operating shaft 41. The opposite ends of the spring arms 61 are eachprovided with a return bend to form an arcuate portion 64 which assumesa position concentric with the roll core 23 when the carrier is urgedinto its location as shown in Figure 2. An elongated guide roll 65extends between and is rotatably mounted on the free ends of the springarms 61. Mounted for independent pivotal movement on the shaft'ortrunnions of the roller 65 are a pair of brackets 67 between which issupported an angle-shaped cutter bar 69. A series of serrated cuttingblades 71 are adjustably fixed to the leading edge of the cutter barflange 73, preferably with the outermost or edge cutting blades set toinitiate web severance as hereafter described. In its inoperativeposition, the cutter bar 69 is resiliently urged into position as shownin Figure 1, by the tension springs 75, each connected to an adjacentbracket and spring arm by the pins 77 and holders 79. It will be notedthat in this position, thecu-tting blades 71 are well removed from theweb path and thus prevent unintentional cutting of the same. During use,the cutter bar 71 is progressively urged in a counterclockwise directionas viewed in Fig ures 1 and 2, against the resilient action of thesprings 75, as a result of a kicker roll 81 engaging with the peripheryof the roll core. As best seen in Figure 3, the kicker roll 81 isrotatably carried between a pair of spaced bearing plates 85 fixed tothe central portion of the cutter bar flange 87. To restrict turningmovement of the cutter bar 69 between its extreme positions, the cutterbar brackets 67 are provided with limit pins 86. A second elongated roll89 is also rotatably car ried between the spring arms 61 for maintainingthe traveling web snugly against the roll core during the severing andtransfer procedure described below.

As hereto-fore mentioned, the web severing and transfer mechanism isretained in an elevated position, as indicated by the broken lines inFigure l, by the counterbalancing weights 45. When the roll of webmaterial being wound approaches its desired size, the operator eflt'eotsrotation of the shaft 19, thereby moving the spiders counterclockwise,as viewed in Figure 1, to lower the roll 91 nearing completion and toposition an empty core 23 at the uppermost point of its circular travelabout the shaft 19. During this relocation of roll cores, it will beunderstood that the web delivery continues uninterrupted and that thespeed and tension of the web remain unchanged. Further, it will be notedthat the roll 91 is rotated at a reduced speed during its relocation tocompensate for the increase in travel of the web, and that the uppermostempty core 23 is independently rotated until it attains the same speedas the traveling web before any web material is wound thereon.

At this stage, the operator pulls downwardly on the handle 43 to lowerthe frame 33 into engagement with the beam extensions 59 and to urge thecarrier 35 in a. counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure l, towardthe continuously traveling web. With this movement of the carrier 35,the guide roll 65 engages with the web 25 and progressively urges thesame partially about the periphery of the uppermost roll core 23. Itwill be here noted that the core 23 rotates in the same direction and atthe speed of the traveling web 25, and that roll 65' is turned freely onits axis by the movement of the web itself. Thus, the web travel to roll91 continues uninterrupted, notwithstanding the action of the carrier 35in embracing the web 25 about approximately one-half of the periphery ofthe core 23. As shown in Figure 2., the roll 65 travels along theperiphery of the core 23 to insure proper web contact therewith, andtherefore the carrier arms 61 are formed of spring steel, suitablytempered to enable the same to be repeatedly flexed as the carrier ismoved between its broken and solid line positions. I

Concomitantly with the embracing of the traveling web 25 about the core23 by the roll 65, the kicker roll 81 engages with the core peripheryand effects a counterclockwise turning of the cutter bar 69progressively with the movement of the carrier 35 toward its solid lineposition shown in Figure 2. As the carrier approaches its broken lineposition shown in Figure 2, the cutter bar 69 has been turnedsufficiently to cause the blades 71 to contact and sever the web 25. Theleading end of the now severed web is carried upwardly about the core 23with the continued movement of the carrier 35 to its terminal positionshown in Figure 2. Just prior to assuming this terminal position,however, it will be noted that the roll 89 contacts the web andmaintains the same engaged with the core surface, while the roll 65leaves the core periphery and stops turning to prevent the web leadingend from winding thereon. It will thus be evident that the web leadingend will be carried about the core 23 by the rotary movement of the coreitself with little or no bunching of the web occurring. Preferably, thehandle 43 is also formed of tempered spring steel to absorb anyexcessive forces which may be applied .tomechanism by the operator.

After a sufficient number of turns of the web 25 have been accumulatedon the newly started roll, the handle 43 is merely elevated to withdrawthe carrier 35 from its terminal position and allow both the frame 33and carrier 35 to assume its inoperative position as shown by brokenlines in Figure 1. During this Withdrawal movement, it will be apparentthat the rolls 65 and 81 merely rotate on the surface of the web woundonto the core 23 without disturbing its delivery, speed or tension.

It is seen from the above description that the objects of the inventionare well fulfilled by the apparatus described. The description isintended to be illustrative only and it is to be understood that changesand variations may be made without departing from the spiritand scope ofthe invention as defined by the appended claims.

Iclaim:

.1. In apparatus for severing and transferring a traveling continuousweb from a roll being wound to an empty rapidly rotating core upon whicha new roll is to be started including means for shifting the roll beingwound from a winding position to a position for unloading and forsimultaneously shifting the rotating empty core to a winding position,the improvement comprising a carrier, means for moving the carriertoward the traveling web and into a terminal position wherein thecarrier partially encircles the empty core, guide means supported on theleading end of said carrier for urging the traveling web partially aboutthe empty core as the carrier is moved into its terminal position, andcutting means supported on said carrier for severing the traveling webintermediate said guide means and the roll being wound as the carrierapproaches its terminal position, said cutting means including a cutterbar pivotally mounted on said carrier and means supported by said cutterbar and engaging with the empty roll core for pivoting said cutter barinto the traveling web as the carrier approaches its terminal positionwhereby said guide means positions the leading end of said severedtraveling web adjacent the rotating empty core for winding thereon.

2. In apparatus for severing and transferring a traveling continuous webfrom a roll being wound to an empty rapidly rotating core upon which anew roll is to be started including means for shifting the roll beingwound from a Winding position to a position for unloading and forsimultaneously shifting the rotating empty core to a winding position,the improvement comprising a carrier mounted for pivotal movement aboutan axis parallel to the empty core, said carrier having a resilientarcuate portion adapted to be flexed into partial concentricencirclement about said empty core as said carrier is pivoted about itsaxis toward the traveling web and into a terminal position, a guide rollrotatably sup ported on the leading end of said carrierfor urging thetraveling web and flexing the resilient arcuate portion of the carrierinto partial encirclement about the empty core as the carrier is movedinto its terminal position, a cutter bar pivotally mounted on saidcarrier, a kicker roll rotatably carried by said cutter bar, said kickerroll engaging with the empty core as the carrier is moved toward itsterminal position for progressively pivoting said cutter bar toward andinto the traveling web to sever the same intermediate said guide rolland the roll being wound whereby said guide roll positions the leadingend of the severed traveling web adjacent to the rotating empty core forwinding thereon as the carrier is moved into a concentric position aboutthe empty core.

3. The improvement as defined in claim 2 further including yieldablemeans maintaining said kicker roll engaged with the empty core.

4. In apparatus for severing and transferring a traveling continuous webfrom a roll being wound to an empty rapidly rotating core upon which anew roll is to be started including means for shifting the roll beingwound from a Winding position to a position for unloading and forsimultaneously shifting the rotating empty core to a winding position,the improvement comprising a carrier including a pair of laterallyspaced arms mounted for pivotal movement as a unit along an axissubstantially parallel to the empty core, said arms each having aresilient arcuate end portion for partially and concentricallyencircling more than a 90 arc of the empty core periphery as the carrieris moved toward the traveling web and into a terminal position, a guideroll extending between and rotatably mounted on the free ends of thearcuate end portions of said arms, said guide roll urging the travelingweb partially about the empty core and assisting in flexing theresilient arcuate end portions as the carrier is moved toward itsterminal position, a cutter bar, means mounting said cutter bar on saidcarrier for pivotal movement about the axis of said guide roll, a kickerroll rotatably carried by said cutter bar, and yieldable meansmaintaining said kicker roll engaged with the periphery of the emptycore, said kicker roll progressively pivoting said cutter bar toward andinto the traveling web as the carrier is pivoted to thereby effect webseverance intermediate said guide roll and the roll being wound beforethe carrier reaches its terminal position, with said guide roll urgingthe severed end of the web into further engagement with the periphery ofthe empty core as the carrier is moved toward and into its terminalposition.

5. The improvement as defined in claim 4 wherein the free ends of saidcarrier arms extend along planes substantially parallel to planesextending tangent to the empty core periphery whereby the guide roll isdisengaged from the periphery of the empty core when the carrier is inits terminal position.

6. In apparatus for severing and transferring a traveling continuous webfrom a roll being wound to an empty rapidly rotating core upon which anew roll is to be started including means for shifting the roll beingwound from a winding position to a position for unloading and forsimultaneously shifting the rotating empty core to a winding position,the improvement comprising a frame having one end pivotally connected toa fixed structure, a shaft rotatably connected to the opposite end ofsaid frame and extending substantially parallel to the empty core, acarrier fixed to said shaft and having a resilient arcuate portionadapted to be flexed into partial concentric encirclement about saidempty core periphery as said shaft is turned to move said carrier towardthe traveling web and into a terminal position, a guide roll rotatablysupported on the leading end of said resilient arcuate portion urgingthe traveling web and flexing the resilient arcuate portion of thecarrier into partial encirclement about the empty core as the carrier ismoved into its terminal position, a cutter bar pivotally mounted on saidcarrier, a kicker roll rotatably carried by said cutter bar, resilientmeans maintaining the kicker roll engaged with the periphery of theempty core, said kicker roll progressively pivoting said cutter bartoward and into the traveling web as the carrier is moved toward itsterminal position to effect severance of the web intermediate said guideroll and roll being wound, and a counterbalancing weight reacting onsaid frame for maintaining the frame and carrier in an elevatedinoperative position during roll Winding.

7. The improvement as defined in claim 6 wherein said carrier includes apair of laterally spaced spring arms each being fixed at one end to saidshaft and having a reverse bent portion at its opposite end, saidreverse bent portions terminating with free ends extending along a planesubstantially tangent to the reverse bent portions to permit said guideroll to be disengaged from the periphery of the empty core when saidcarrier is in its terminal position.

8. The improvement as defined in claim 7 further including a secondguide roll extending between and rotatably mounted to said armsintermediate said reverse bent portions and said shaft.

9. The improvement as defined in claim 6 wherein said shaft is turned bya handle formed of resilient and flexible material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,361,264 Christman Oct. 24, 1944 2,512,900 Kwitek June 27, 19502,586,833 Kohler et a1. Feb. 26, 1952 2,620,993 Jeifrey Dec. 9, 19522,787,427 Marczincsin Apr. 2, 1957

